This Grandma always knew puzzles are good for our grand children’s brains, but not exactly why, so I went on line, and found the following on this site.
“Human mind has two separate hemispheres or lobes called right and left-brain with each one dealing in different functions. Right brain deals with emotions and performs tasks holistically while the left-brain functions in linear fashion. When you are able to use both the sides of the brain, you will find that your mind power is harnessed to its best and gets better. Jigsaw puzzle helps you exercise both the parts of your brain. Left-brain thinks logically and follows sequence while the right brain is creative, intuitive and emotional. When you try to put together a jigsaw puzzle, you harness both the brainpowers.”
“While working on jigsaw puzzles, it has been studied that there exists continuous activity thought the brain involving all the cells and parts of the brain. This intense activity works to exercise the brain cells and thereby activate them and increase their efficiency and capacity too.”
“There have been several studies like the MacArthur Study, that has found that people who have been used to doing jigsaw puzzles as well as cross word and were fully active stood to gain a longer life span and also lesser chances of falling prey to Alzheimer’s, memory loss, dementia and other old age problems.”
“Brain produces a chemical known as dopamine that is chiefly responsible for learning and memory. The production of this chemical increases in the brain at the time when it is engaged in solving the jigsaw puzzle.”
Here I am doing a post for one of the best and inexpensive holiday gifts for grandchildren and it seems that puzzles may also be great gifts for us from our grandchildren!
The best go-to website for toys, videos, and books for grandchildren of all ages is www.toyportfolio.com. The Oppenheimer Toy Awards give us a great guide to a gift the grandchildren will enjoy and where we will feel our money is well spent. I always go there first to check out their platinum (top) award winners:
PUZZLES FOR CHILDREN BY AGE
For Toddlers and Preschoolers
Puzzles by Mudpuppy are 2015 Oppenheimer platininum award winners, including Dog Day jumbo 25 piece floor puzzle, Forest Friends puzzle, Madeline 42 piece puzzle, and E Boo Beautiful Morning 36 piece panoramic puzzle.
On Amazon.com, a Melissa and Doug fire engine puzzle is the number one best seller.
For Ages 3 – 7
Again, puzzles by Mudpuppy are the Oppenheimer platinum winners, including Keith Haring 100 piece New York puzzle. E Boo puzzle winners include Around the Town 48 piece giant floor puzzle.
For ages 6 -7, there are puzzles by Begin Again, a company I do not know, Dinosaur A to Z puzzle and Dinosaur Skeleton puzzle.
The Janod pirate ship puzzle with 39 pieces, another platinum award winner, comes with its own travel case.
Other Janod puzzles are also on the list.
For Later School Years
Oppenheimer Toy awards has one puzzle with 300 pieces as a platinum award winner.
Mudpuppy Yellow Submarine 300 piece puzzle.
Knowing they test toys on children of the age before they give it platinum status, I am interested in their exact review for ages 10+:
“Turn on the music! “All You Need is Love” and some patience while you work “All Together Now” on this handsome 300-piece puzzle of the Beatles’ Yellow Submarine. Set up a table where everyone can return to from time to time. This will not be done instantaneously, but it makes a great family project. Comes in a handsome keepsake tin that makes it an extra special gift. 10 & up”
A former year platinum winner still looks wonderful:
Here is the Oppenheimer Toy Award review:
“I Technology meets the Jigsaw Puzzle and Wow! Put these1,000 piece puzzles together and then use an iPhone or iPad to see your puzzle come to life! You get a free app download to activate the amazing video that asks you to find the image on your puzzle of the active animal or object moving on your screen. Of course, doing a 1,000 piece puzzle makes a great cooperative project for the whole family to do. Activity idea: Put the pieces on a table in a room the family uses and display the box cover as an invitation for ‘getting it together’ when anyone in the family has some free time. Once these big puzzles are done the whole family can enjoy this new dimension by clicking on an iPhone or iPad. A fun novelty for older kids and their parents. There are currently four puzzles: Underwater, Animals in Africa, Paris, and Norway. New for 2013, Times Square comes to life with signs and taxis and 360 degree animation; or for a bit of geography check out the World Map with an interactive quiz game to play together.”
There are apps with puzzles. Check out the rating and reviews at the App Store and think I Tunes gift card for purchase of some by grandchildren. A never to disappoint gift is that I Tunes gift card, pre approved by the parents s, of course. PUZZLES FOR GRANDMA FROM GRANDCHILDREN
Now, here are the puzzles this Grandma finds might be a great holiday gift for us grandmas:
A television history puzzle.
After all, we grandmas can remember (although we may be loathe to admit it) the beginnings of television. Found at Amazon:
Described as:
“The ultimate TV trivia puzzle. Over 250 stars and unforgettable moments in American television history. Artist: James Mellett: Item 270: 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle: Finished size 24″ X 30″.”
The Games We Played puzzle
The Games We Played puzzle gives us much to discuss and share with our grandchildren the games we played when we were children. Found at Amazon.
Described as:
“All the old family favorites are included in this collage family puzzle by Lois B. Sutton. Old Maid, Sorry, Clue, Tiddly Winks, Monopoly, and many more are featured in this puzzle. So many to choose from — which was YOUR family favorite?”
We grandmas can consider getting some of these long (we never say old) games to give the grandchildren as presents too.
Black Felt Mat for Puzzle Storage
Consider the best accessory, a fold up mat to be able to work on the puzzle and store to finish the puzzle at a later time:
Sinoguo Black Felt Mat for Puzzle Storage, Puzzles Saver, No Folded Creases, Environmentally Friendly Materials, a Good Puzzle Accessories for Jigsaw Puzzle Player
(Dark Gray). Buy at Amazon.
Candy Wrappers puzzle
But, the best idea for a puzzle for grandma to share with grandchildren is rated as easy for a 1,000 piece puzzle. It is candy wrappers!
White Mountain Puzzles Candy Wrappers, 1,000 piece puzzle. Purchase at Amazon.
For a wonderful and sweet activity, buy one of each of the candy in the puzzle and the first grandchild who completes the section of the puzzle that shows the entire wrapper gets the candy. Be sure that this activity occurs before they go home to their parents, or grandma suffers the consequence of the sugar high. Of course, help the younger grandchildren and let all the grandchildren win at least one candy. Which grandma needs the calories anyway! What grandma needs is the time with the grandchildren that brings such
Joy,
Mema
#bestMelissaandDougpuzzle #TheGamesWePlayedpuzzlebestBlackFeltMatforPuzzleStorageCandyWrapperspuzzle #puzzlesasbestinexpensivegiftfortheholidaysforgrandchildren #Atelevisionhistorypuzzle #bestMudpuppypuzzles #puzzlesasbestinexpensivegiftfortheholidaysforgrandparents #bestEBoopuzzles #bestdinosaurpuzzlesbyBeginAgain #OppenheimerToyAwardWinners #wwwtoyportfoliocom
Comentários